Electrical insulation films are thin plastic sheets that are found in electronic components for computers, laptops, printers, fax machines, appliances, audio equipment, video equipment, telephones, radios, motors, generators, wires, cables, and the like. In order to function properly, electrical insulation films must be flame retardant. In particular, they must pass objective flame resistance tests such as those described in Underwriter's Laboratory Standard UL 94, “Tests for Flammability of Plastic Materials for Parts in Devices and Appliances”. Historically, it has been difficult for electrical insulation materials to achieve the required UL 94 ratings without incorporating halogenated flame retardants in the composition used to make the electrical insulation film.
However, recently there has been a desire to reduce or eliminate halogenated components used in electronics and electrical devices. A number of countries have adopted the Waste in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE) and/or the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS). WEEE addresses toxic electronic waste and sets recycling and recovery targets for electrical equipment while RoHS restricts the use of hazardous materials in the manufacture of electronic and electrical devices. The incorporation of halogenated flame retardants in electrical insulation materials has made them difficult to recycle. With pressure to eliminate halogenated flame retardants in order to improve the recyclability and environmental safety of electric insulation films, there is a real need for plastic insulation films with good flame retardancy performance that do not contain halogenated flame retardants. In addition to being flame retardant and electrically insulating, the electrically insulating films must be esthetically pleasing and have good general workability. Workability refers to a film's ability to be cut into various shapes and sizes without fracture, and its ability to be fabricated via either cut-score or crease-score and folded into three-dimensional shapes. It has been very difficult to satisfy all these performance requirements with a halogen-free electrically insulating film.